Monkeypox and what we need to know about it
Allow me to discuss this week a very timely subject matter which is monkeypox.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease that manifests with rashes similar to chickenpox and smallpox.
The rashes typically start to appear on the face then gradually spread to the extremities and other body parts including mucous membranes in the mouth.
The most common signs and symptoms of monkeypox include rashes (95%), fever
(85%), chills (71%), lymphadenopathy (71%), headache (65%) and Myalgias (56%).
The incubation period ranges from 5 to 21 days but usually from 6 to 13 days.
Animals can infect humans with this disease through bites and contacts with their body fluids.
Animals like monkey, dormice, squirrels and rats have been documented to infect humans with this disease.
The rate of human to human transmission of monkeypox is lower compared to the
Coronavirus disease (Covid).
The human to human transmission of monkeypox can occur through respiratory droplets. Unlike Covid, human to human transmission of monkeypox requires prolonged face to face exposure around 3 hours (while it is only 15mins exposure for Covid, and only few seconds for the Omicron variant).
Males who are living in forested areas and aged less than 15 years are associated with increased risk of infection.
The following infections need to be considered in the differential diagnosis of monkeypox: herpes simplex infection and chickenpox.
Chickenpox can be distinguished from monkeypox since its rashes occur in different stages of
development while monkeypox rashes are all in the same stage.
Herpes rashes are smaller in size compared to monkeypox.
The mortality rate of monkeypox is at 10% (5x higher than Covid).
Just like Covid infection, majority of monkeypox infection is self-limited and will recover with supportive care.
Antiviral is reserved for severe disease and in special population like immunocompromised
patients, pregnant and breastfeeding patients.
The prevention of monkeypox can be achieved by using smallpox vaccine.